I was explicitly promised a Dark Sun

More like WoW in the Desert

Bard's Log 6

Eladrin are dicks

5

OCT/10

We left Urik with our cart full of food and water, glad to be out of a city which would quickly become a war zone between the rioters and the templars. Although the riot was our fault I’ve always adhered to the idea that negative consequences are for other people. At this point our spirits were quite high. Nothing was attacking us and we were making good time, thanks in part to my songs helping ease the boredom with a bit of magic wove in for speed, though I’m running out of songs, which could have disastrous side effects. The only interesting thing that happened for a few days was Cha’ka spotting a few drakes spotting us and then flying away. I saw that my companions were a bit confused so I explained to them how drakes are usually flightless, so there wings were the result of some powerful magics, which bodes ill for us but honestly I’ve gotten used to the feeling.

We approached the spring located midway between Urik and Tyr with the hopes of refilling our water barrels so we wouldn’t become dessicated husks in the wasteland. Unfortunately we saw it was guarded. As we got closer we saw they were eladrin and an argument ensued. They stated that the spring was their property and we could die for all they cared. I countered with the old “check out this vat of acid trick,” which would have successfully defused the situation were it not for the eladrin’s infernal ability to teleport. Regardless he was less than pleased at the sudden exfoliation and brought forth strange beasts to attack us. We were doing quite well when a commander of some sort appeared and with a wave began to somehow drain the spring. Regrettably the spring had disappeared by the time we had finished with the eladrin and their pets, though I’m proud to say that we seem to be working better as a team, with Cha’ka being less suicidal and Uzemaya helping us focus on targets. It would bring a tear to my eye if my tear duct wasn’t clogged with sand and grit.

While the spring had drained we found the area was surrounded with some sort of invisible structure, though Uzemaya managed to find a door. Inside we found what could only be an entrance to the feywild, as the desolate sand we had become so used to had been replaced with a beautiful stone structure. The feywild would be a nice place to stay were it not for the strange spatial distortions and inhabitants that make most templar seem well adjusted in comparison. We found the water at least. Unfortunately it was floating in a sphere 80 feet above the ground, we think. We weren’t sure due to the whole spatial distortion thing, but we were certain it was out of reach. I’m really starting to dislike the eladrin. I recalled a bit of arcane information that would be applicable, which was that such magical feat would require an anchor in Athas, so we returned to the spring and began to investigate.

We found that the structure we had walked into was more like a wall, which we quickly climbed over allowing us to investigate the spring proper. There seemed to be a bit of illusion in the center, no doubt perpetrated by those eladrin bastards, disguising a hole in the ground which we, in our proud tradition of ignoring common sense, quickly climbed into. We found ourselves in a cavern filled with crystals, many of which reflected leering and unfamiliar faces. Voices came from the shadowy corners of the cave, talking about playing games or staying forever, something in that vein of idiocy, and they were unwilling to tell us anything helpful regarding the water situation. Of course the little monsters decided to leap from the shadows to attack us. I can’t really comment on the fight as I spent a good deal of it blind for some reason. I can say that I let a few them know my displeasure at being stabbed by returning the favor. I did learn that they didn’t like light and I, of course, was holding the sunrod. Many of their attacks were aimed at me and at several points I was close to blacking out. At least they didn’t hate me for being an arcanist, I was getting a bit tired of that.

We killed them as well but not before one scuttled away and cut our rope leading out of the cavern. We continued to explore, my compatriots venturing further into the cavern while I fiddled with some devices set into the wall to little effect. We did find something interesting though, in a small room nearby. An eladrin was there and, thanks to my disguise, became very confused, which was good because I was tired of being the only one. He did summon an ooze or a slime (I get them confused) and we once again had to settle a dispute with violence. This went fairly well though I must say that it has done nothing to change my opinion of eladrin in general. With their defeat we felt a dull rumbling and heard the sound of rushing water. Admittedly this time might be better spent looking for a way to keep ourselves from drowning but I feel that these journals might be my last will and testament so I should make them count. Hopefully more to come.

Comments

Ecologically speaking, Slimes and Oozes are remarkably different creatures with different origins and surprisingly disparate anatomies. Functionally speaking, one wants to eat you and dissolve your remains, the other wants to dissolve you and eat your remains.